About the Directorate
The functions of DES are derived from the Education Act 2008
a) To set, define and review standards in education practice and provision through planned series of inspections;
b) To assess the achievement of standards and to evaluate the effectiveness of education programs of institutions and agencies throughout Uganda;
c)To develop systematic approaches to inspection and evaluation, and to encourage evaluation and self-evaluation systems using appropriate quality indicators, within the education service;
d) To provide and disseminate regular inspection and monitoring reports on the quality of education at all levels;
e) To develop the use the reports as a mechanism to provide support for and dissemination of good practice, and thus to improve the quality of practice in the education service as a whole, and in particular aspects;
f) To provide independent expert comment and advice on educational provision and practice at all levels of education; and
g) To give advice to the Minister on such matters relate to quality control in education.
The Directorate of Education Standards is headed by a Director, who is assisted by four (4) Commissioners based at the Head office at Kyambogo each heading the four (4) departments below:
(i) Primary and Pre-Primary Education Standards,
(ii) Secondary Education Standards,
(iii) Teacher Education Standards, and
(iv) Business, Technical, Vocational Education and Training (BTVET) Education Standards.
At Regional level, there are 4 Assistant Commissioners each in charge of a Region deputized by Principal Inspectors of Schools. Each Region has 12 Senior Inspectors who are subject specialists for Inspection of Secondary Schools and those for Special needs Education, Guidance and Counselling, Music Dance and Drama and BTVET hence a total of 48 senior Subject Inspectors.
| Music Dance & Drama |
| Pre-Primary and Primary Standards |
| ICT |
| Biology/Chemistry |
| Mathematics & Economics |
| Hist |
| Economics |
| Physics / Mathematics |
| Kiswahili |
| Chem/Mathematics |
| Biol/ Geography |
| Econ /Geography |
| Kiswahili |
| Physical Education |
| Economics/Entrepreneurship |
| Geography/RE |
| Mathematics/ ICT |
| English language/ Literature |
| Mathematics/Geography |
| Home Economics |
| Guidance & Counselling |
| History/RS |
| BTVET (Business/Entrepreneurship) |
| Special Needs Education |
| Kiswahili/French |
| Fine Art |
| Chemistry/Physics |
| Physics/Mathematics |
| Agriculture |
1. Quality improvement in the delivery of education services and training through periodic inspection reports.
2. Support for and encouragement of good practice in the education system provided.
3. Quality indicators to ensure consistence of inspection and reporting as a basis for national education targets, performance standards and policy review/development established.
4. The Ministry leadership, Education Service Commission and other relevant stakeholders advised to apply immediate sanctions where there are serious digressions of expected standards and provisions.
5. Working and collaboration linkages with the relevant International and National bodies such as Uganda National Examinations Board (UNEB), National Curriculum Development Centre (NCDC), Education Service Commission (ESC), and National Council for Higher Education (NCHE) and other sister institutions established and sustained.
6. Curriculum implementation, use of instructional materials, assessment tools and systems monitored, evaluated and areas of improvement recommended.
7. The impact of national education policies, strategies and programs on the delivery of education services and training assessed.
1. Schools and institutions inspected and inspection reports submitted and disseminated to key stake holders for action.
2. Good practices reported and disseminated to improve the quality of practice in the education service.
3. Standards developed or reviewed to ensure consistence with International and national targets and obligations.
4. Stakeholders advised to apply immediate sanctions where there are serious digressions of expected standards or provisions.
5. Collaboration and linkages with the relevant International and National bodies in the provision of education and standards sustained.
6. Curriculum implementation monitored and support provided to ensure proper implementation according to the guidelines and areas of improvement recommended.
7. Reports on the impact of national educational policies, strategies and programs and recommendations given.
8. Training, mentoring and capacity building of Education Managers related to school improvement.
9. Systematic approaches to inspection and evaluation through innovations.
10. Independent expert comment and advice on educational provision and practice given on such matters related to quality control in education.
· Provides leadership and co-ordinates all Inspectorate work and ensure preparation and delivery of forward programme,
· Advise on all professional educational matters,
· Responsible for ensuring that standard for educational institutions are developed, implemented, monitored and evaluated, and regularly updated.
· Ensure that DES meets its targets for inspectors
· Accountable and responsible for the management and financial planning of the for DES,
· Ensures effective systems for collating input from Regional Offices to provide national reports on quality and standards in each sub-sector of education and on all aspects of education,
· Maintaining professional links with appropriate Ministries and with government bodies such as: NCDC, UNEB, ESC, ULAA & NCHE.
· Guide in the development of a professional development system for the DES and the Inspectorate system.
· Promote quality improvement in Education Service Delivery through periodic inspection;
· Responsible for the day to-day management of the Directorate’s business.
· Propose and implement strategic and business plans;
· Ensure the implementation of policies, objectives and ensuring that targets and service standards are achieved;
· Ensure that effective systems of quality control operate to monitor the effectiveness of the Directorate’s inspection procedures and practices;
· Establish and sustain working linkages with the relevant International and National Bodies such as UNEB, NCDC, ESC, NCHE, etc;
· Advise the Ministry leadership to apply immediate sanctions where there are serious digression of expected standards or provisions in collaboration with Education Service Commission and other stakeholders;
· Assess the impact of national education policies, strategies and programmes on the delivery of quality education at the levels in the Country;
· Give advice to the Minister on such matters related to quality control in education.
Teacher Education Standards
· Head the teacher Education Inspection
· Advice the Director on all matters relating to Teacher Education Standards
· To coordinate work plans and programmes of the department
· To prepare Teacher Education Section Annual Budgetary proposals and estimates
· To compile Annual reports for the department including the completion of staff appraisals on
· To advice the Commissioner TEDT on matters relating to information on confirmation of teachers and general conditions of service
· To liaise with Education Planning in Implementing Education reforms
· To liaise with various associations within the field
· To coordinate all teacher Education academic and professional matters in both pre-service and in-service
· To liaise with teachers’ associations in planning refresher and in service
· To be responsible for maintenance and improvement of standards in both teachers’ colleges and demonstration schools
· To monitor the Teachers Education Standards
· To monitor the implementation of policies relating to subject taught in the subsector and the related research
· To plan for activities related to instruction materials
· Monitors, inspects and evaluates the status of instructional materials
· Promote quality improvement in education service delivery through periodic inspection reports at regional level
· Provide support for and encouragement of good practice in the education service in the region
· Ensure consistence of inspection and reporting as a basis of national education targets, performance standards and policy review or development
· Prepare reports to the Director Education Standards and key stakeholders where there is serious digression of expected standards
· Monitor and evaluate curriculum implementation, use of instructional materials, assessment tools and systems in the region and recommend areas of improvement in Education and training
· Assess the impact of national education policies, strategies and programmes on the delivery of quality at all levels in the Region
- Develop subsector /subject specific indicators to ensure consistence of inspection and reporting as a basis for national education standards
- Implement immediate sanctions where there is serious digression of expected standards in collaboration with other stake holders in the region
- Monitor and evaluate curriculum implementation, use of instructional materials, assessment tools and systems and recommend areas of improvement in the region
- Carry out surveys on national education policies, strategies and programmes on education standards in the countries
- Carry out inspections to ensure adherence to establish rules, regulations and standards by private schools and institutions in the region
- Prepare and submit technical reports in respect of education standards to the relevant authorities at regional level
- Senior inspectors have subject responsibility for secondary school inspectors and BTVET Institutional Inspections
- Monitoring activities which are focused on confirming that districts are planning, carrying out and reporting on a programme of school inspection